There’s something particularly cruel about going through a separation and suddenly realising that approximately 94% of all music ever written appears to be about love.

Falling in love. Losing love. Missing love. Wanting love back. Dancing in kitchens with love. Crying in the rain about love. Even songs that start out sounding upbeat can suddenly hit you with an unexpected line about soulmates and forever and then there you are, driving to Tesco in tears because of a song you didn’t even particularly like in the first place.

And when you’re a single parent, music can become oddly loaded. There are songs tied to weddings, first dances, road trips, old routines, entire versions of yourself. Sometimes you want catharsis and a good cry, but sometimes you just want a song that makes you feel alive without reminding you of your ex every 45 seconds.

Which is why one Frolo member asking for “really happy songs that aren’t about love” sparked a surprisingly brilliant conversation in the app recently. The recommendations were chaotic, wholesome, nostalgic and occasionally unhinged in the best possible way.

So if you need a playlist that feels hopeful, energising or just distracting enough to get through the school run without spiralling, here are some suggestions.

Songs that feel like sunshine in audio form

A few songs came up again and again because they’re basically impossible to be miserable to.

“Mr Blue Sky” – Electric Light Orchestra

An absolute classic. Scientifically proven* to make you feel like opening all the windows and dramatically reorganising your kitchen cupboards.

(*Not actually scientifically proven, but emotionally true.)

“Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles

Gentle, reassuring and basically the musical equivalent of someone putting a blanket around your shoulders and telling you things won’t feel this hard forever.

“Three Little Birds” – Bob Marley & The Wailers

The lyrics are simple for a reason: “Every little thing is gonna be alright” is sometimes exactly the level of emotional processing you can cope with.

“Happy” – Pharrell Williams

Yes, it’s obvious. Yes, you’ve heard it a million times. But there’s a reason people still recommend it. It’s aggressively cheerful.

Songs for when you want energy rather than emotions

Sometimes the goal isn’t healing. Sometimes the goal is surviving the washing pile and finding enough momentum to reply to an email.

These are good for that.

“Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen

Pure chaos. Pure confidence. The ideal soundtrack for cleaning the kitchen at 9.30pm while pretending your life is a montage.

“Light & Day / Reach for the Sun” – The Polyphonic Spree

This one feels like somebody bottled optimism and turned it into music. Big “main character finally getting their life together” energy.

“That’s My Jam” – Skindred

A slightly left-field suggestion from the Frolo feed, but genuinely impossible not to bounce along to.

“I Like To Move It” - Reel 2 Real Feat. The Mad Stuntman

Sometimes you don’t need depth. Sometimes you just need a song that tricks your nervous system into releasing serotonin while you unload the dishwasher.

Songs that are just… delightfully weird

One of the joys of asking single parents for recommendations is discovering that people’s tastes are gloriously random.

“Doki Doki Morning” – BABYMETAL

Recommended with the excellent disclaimer: “All in Japanese, no idea what it’s about but sounds happy.”

This may actually be the perfect solution. Can’t get emotionally devastated by lyrics if you don’t understand them.

Ska, folk punk and general joyful nonsense

One Frolo member pointed out that ska tends to live on “the happier side of madness,” recommending bands like Less Than Jake and Baggy Trousers-era Madness.

Another suggested “Salty Dog” by Flogging Molly, which feels less like a breakup song and more like accidentally ending up dancing on a pub table with strangers.

Why happy music matters more than we think

It sounds silly perhaps, but music really does shape our emotional landscape.

When you’re navigating a breakup or adjusting to single parent life, you can end up stuck in emotional loops without even realising it. Sad songs absolutely have their place, but so do songs that remind you you’re still a person outside of heartbreak. A person who can laugh, dance in the kitchen, sing badly in the car and feel joy completely independently of romantic love.

And honestly? That feels quite important.

Because one of the strange gifts of single parenthood is rediscovering yourself outside of somebody else’s narrative. You start building new routines, new memories and eventually new associations too. Songs that belong entirely to you.

Preferably ones that are not connected to a first dance.

Build your own “no romance required” playlist

If you’re making your own happy playlist, a few good rules are:

• Avoid lyrics that sneak in emotional devastation halfway through
• Prioritise energy over meaning if needed
• Nostalgia helps, but only the good kind
• Songs you loved before relationships often feel safest
• Weirdness is welcome

And if all else fails, there is always the deeply healing power of scream-singing Queen while eating toast over the sink at midnight.

Which, frankly, should probably be a recognised therapy model.

If you’re looking for more support, solidarity and brilliantly random conversations like this one, download the Frolo app to connect with other single parents who genuinely get it.

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